Walking in a Winter Wonderland!
Having lived most of my life in the South of England I am, of course, thoroughly unaccustomed to the sight of snow. I remember the odd winter snow shower, followed by enormous traffic jams and the resulting chaos. But I can never recall actually enjoying the stuff. It was always such a gross inconvenience!
So it came as something of a shock to find my Normandy home temporarily hidden one morning by a blanket of heavy snow that turned the whole scene into an astonishingly beautiful winter wonderland. No need to worry about any traffic chaos. The road was closed and that was that!!
For the village children the snow brought great news as there was no sight of the early morning school bus. By lunchtime, with every farmer and his dog nowadays in possession of the very latest in farm vehicles and equipment, a few heavy tractors were heard churning their way down the lane followed by a clutch of grateful cars taking advantage of an unsolicited act of road clearance. Despite the passing of a few brave drivers and their vehicles, the snow settled and the village was virtually cut off for three or four days. It was gloriously sunny and the snow was so soft in our temporary village hideaway.
The winters tend to be long over here in Normandy and the pace of life always seems so relaxed that is seems inconceivable that things could get any slower. But when the snow falls everything comes to a standstill. For a few days it is possible to do absolutely nothing and just sit back and enjoy a fabulous landscape and a few days of complete solitude. Never thought you would hear me say it – but I just love to see the snow and a chance to go walking in my winter wonderland.
